NCAC Immediate Past President Russ Berger presents Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Architectural Acoustics undergraduate student Philip Robinson with the one of the organization’s first four Student Travel Awards.

The National Council of Acoustical Consultants (NCAC) announced that Philip Robinson of Gallup, NM, a student in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Architectural Acoustics undergraduate program, is one of the first four recipients of the organization’s new Student Travel Award. Robinson received $500 in travel assistance to present his technical paper, “Quantitative and Qualitative Effects of Diffusion in Rooms,� at the 161st meeting of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA), which took place May 23-27 in Seattle, WA.

During a student reception at the ASA meeting, Robinson was presented with the award by Russ Berger, NCAC’s immediate past president, who conceived and developed the Student Travel Award program during his two-year term as president. As part of a new initiative for NCAC, the award program focuses on those individuals new to the field or looking to get into the profession.

“It is rewarding to see our planning efforts realized in the presentation of these first NCAC Student Travel Awards,� says Berger. “The goal of this award program is to further recognize future acoustical professionals. Participating at industry events like ASA and the Institute of Noise Control Engineering (INCE), which are both highly regarded by NCAC, is a great way for students to interact with other professional consultants before they even leave the classroom.�

Earlier in the year, NCAC selected four recipient universities from a list of eight qualified university programs. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Kansas, Purdue University and University of Nebraska – Lincoln were each asked to select one of their brightest and best students in their respective acoustics/noise control program to receive the Student Travel Award. The student must have been accepted to present a technical paper at an upcoming ASA or INCE conference.

“We are happy to be able to recognize these educational institutions who prepare the next generation of acoustical consultants,� says Kenric Van Wyk, NCAC’s Vice President of Marketing. “NCAC is about educating the public and expanding the knowledge base of those in the field. We were excited to hear the thoughts and perspectives of these students and see how their observations will affect future NCAC member firm projects.�

The eligibility of university and college programs was determined by the NCAC Student Travel Award committee and based on stringent criteria regarding the program’s curriculum and faculty. Chosen by lottery from a pool of qualified programs, the winning schools then qualify and select a graduate or undergraduate student from their program to be the recipient of the award. These honors have been made possible through financial sponsorship by NCAC member firms. Additional student winners are expected to be announced throughout the year.

NCAC is an international organization committed to supporting the acoustical profession by recognizing expert acoustical consultants and engineers, promoting opportunities for peer interaction, and providing a reference tool for the public to learn more about the profession and find a consultant to match their needs. Its members span all areas of the field including architectural acoustics, mechanical noise control, environmental noise and vibration, and forensic acoustics. For more information on NCAC and the Student Travel Award, please visit the NCAC website, www.ncac.com or contact Kim Paugh, Assistant Director, NCAC, 317-328 0642.